Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1887-08-27
UNION.

Now that we have an "Union Labor
Party and an "United Labor Party"
it might naturally be supposed that
unity was the most conspicuous element
in the ranks of labor. But no, let it be
confessed. in spite of all this parade of
the word, the thing itself is almost un
known. In the seething mass there are
antagonisms enough, also attractions and
repulsions, but only the initial tenden-
cies towards crystalization are as yet
visible. But what then? Shall we say
that the Labor movement is dying of
discord? BY no means, these self-can-
ceiling "uniOns' are symptoms of the
birth travails. not of the death throes of
the Labor Party. Do not be in IA hurry,
ye nimble platform builders, this move
ment is following its own laws, not
yours. The motive force is in the deep,
silent momentum of the cataract, not in
the land roar of the waters. The young
giant of Labor is slowly waking up; but
as yet, the phantasies of his dreams min
gle with his waking thoughts, wherefore
he cannot realize his position, or see his
way out of it clearly; hence these con-
fused stumblings this way and that =
these Union Parties mean unity--are
for the present his best effort. Never
theless. the grand fact remains, that the
effort is being made, and as for the
stumbles and falls, they too are full of
promise, since by such lessons alone can
the young Hercules learn to walk, and
to act with coherent and consistent
purpose. To unite Labor and give its
action such purpose in the direction of
its collective interests is merely to restate
the the Labor problem in another form;
for with Labor so united the problem
would he solved. Obviously this is not
the work of an hour, or day, nor yet
of any one man. set of men. Unity is "A
fruit of evolutionary processes, and
must ripen with the times and seasons.
But, say our platform builders, our
would be history makers, if this is the
work of evolution. the force of circum-
stances, the law of necessity, or however
you name ''the power not ourselves"
we may as well lay down our tools and
look on while the work proceeds. Yes,
may be. if you could but it is the motive
Vic '" III NllltI1 tI'
action and that in turn is dictated by the
exgences of our position and when these
eXigencies become strong enough to
override personal bias we shall have
unity. But if we set aside the force of
circumstances. and consider the matter
AS one wholly within the sphere of indi-
vidual initiative. unity is not conceivable,
for while we each desire unity, we each
at the same time generate antagonisms,
every man will vote for harmony, but
he demands it upon his own terms, or
not at all; who then shall decide? Neces-
sity. But even now we have one great
primary stratum of unity, the granite of
the Labor movement, namely: discon-
tent; here we are ali united in kind if
not in degree, from the anarchist with
his bomb to Mr.. Atkinson with his pot
tage, we are all seeking to escape from
the prison of our mean estate-existing
conditions-it is only when we come to
the question of method that our primary
unity splits up into thousand contend
Ing factions.
Whence comes our discomfort The
answer is again Necessity. The per-
sistent pressure If circumstances through
all time produces discomfort, and through
it the progress of the race from the lower